Chinese FM says development of China-France ties 'brilliant'

PARIS - Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday praised as "brilliant" the development of China-France relations over the past 55 years.

Brilliant years are the decades of the relations between China and France, Wang said during a ceremony to launch the celebrations of the 55th anniversary of bilateral ties, an event he attended together with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The course of the development of bilateral ties is an embodiment of the spirit of independence, mutual understanding, visionary thinking and win-win cooperation as was stated by President Xi Jinping during his trip to Paris in 2014, said Wang, who is in Paris for the 18th consultation of the coordinators for the China-France Strategic Dialogue.

It was a common pursuit of independent diplomatic policies that made the establishment of bilateral ties in 1964 a brave event of the time, and France the first major Western country having diplomatic ties with China, Wang said.

Mutual understanding has enabled both countries to seek common ground amid differences and negotiate difficulties in their relations, Wang said, adding that "With sufficient mutual respect, nothing can block our steps in moving forward together".

In Wang's eyes, visionary thinking from strategic perspectives on both sides has helped carry bilateral ties through misty scenarios and constantly forward. "France is the first major country in the West to forge a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, and the bilateral relations, by being strategic and groundbreaking, have made special, important contributions to global peace, stability and development," Wang noted.

The Chinese foreign minister also stressed win-win cooperation as a right choice for both sides in developing their relations.

Thanks to win-win cooperation, Wang said, China-France relations are able to power forward, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples.